Sutter-Yuba County Biographies
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
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CLARENCE EUGENE SWIFT
A native son who gave of his best efforts and energy to improve and build up his
city and county was the late Clarence Eugene Swift, supervisor of Yuba County,
who was one of the most prominent and highly respected citizens of the
community. He was born in Marysville, January 2, 1878, a son of John Pierce and
Abbie (Camp) Swift, pioneers of Marysville, whose interesting life history is
found elsewhere in this work.
Clarence Swift was reared and educated in Marysville, where his whole life and
ambition seemed to center. There was the chief scene of his activities; and
there he became a successful business man, aiding in the building up of the
city. With his brother, the late Frank Swift, and his father, the late John P.
Swift, he founded the Swift Brothers� planing-mill business in Marysville, which
for many years was located at Second and E Streets but later moved into new and
larger quarters at Third and Orange Streets. He served as a member of the City
council for two terms, resigning to run for the office of supervisor from the
first district. He was elected supervisor on November 5, 1918, and took office
the following January. He served as chairman of the board during the year 1921
and was reelected supervisor in November, 1922. Supervisor Swift was the
champion of the American Legion in the Legion�s efforts to erect an auditorium
as a monument to Yuba County�s soldier dead. Mr. Swift was a man of kindly
disposition and numbered his friends by his many acquaintances. He was always
ready to lend a helping hand and do his friends a kind turn whenever the
opportunity offered.
At Spenceville, Nevada County, September 20, 1904, occurred the marriage of
Clarence Eugene Swift, uniting him with Miss Elsie D. Bowman, a daughter of
James Bowman and a niece of Gordon Bowman, who was serving as county clerk of
Yuba County at the time of his death. James Bowman was born in Lisbon, N.Y.,
crossing the plains to California when a young man, in an ox-team train. In
this State he was married to Miss Eliza Jones, a native of Wisconsin, who had
crossed the plains with her parents when she was five years old, and grew to
young womanhood in the Linda school district. They were farmers, and on the
Bowman ranch in the Rose Bar district they reared their family of eight
children, seven of whom are still living; and there, too, the father died. The
mother survives him, and still lives at the old home, where the deference due
her as a noble pioneer woman is duly accorded to her. Elsie D. Bowman, the
third of the family, in order of birth, was born in the Rose Bar district, Yuba
County; and her education was obtained in the local school and at Wheatland.
Three children were born of the fortunate union of Mr. and Mrs. Swift: Virgil
Clarence, in Marysville High School, class of 1924; Emily May, also in
Marysville High School, in the class of 1926; and Howard, who is still attending
the grammar school. Mr. Swift and his family had gone to Butte Meadows on July
4, 1923, where they expected to spend a vacation of several weeks. Mr. Swift
was then in apparently good health; but on July 6, when he was working on his
automobile preparatory to returning to Marysville, he was taken ill suddenly and
dropped to the ground, dying immediately. His death was a sad blow to his
family and the people of Yuba County, who mourned his untimely taking away. In
an editorial published in the Marysville Democrat, July 7, 1923, appeared the
following:
�In the death of Clarence Swift, Marysville and Yuba County lose one of their
best citizens and one who will be hard to replace. He was taken while in the
midst of the task that was occupying his greatest attention and to which he had
been for months devoted�the completion of the plans for building a memorial
auditorium for the Yuba County heroes who sacrificed their lives for their
country. He was stricken even as he was at the task of preparing to return to
Marysville for a meeting at which the auditorium project was to have been
considered with the attorney general as to the final legal arrangements.
�Mr. Swift was a good citizen and a clean official. No one who knew him had
aught to say against his integrity. All knew him for an honorable man. All
respected him, and all will honor his memory. . . . Marysville and Yuba County
. . . will remember him as one who was ever on the square in public matters.�
Prominent in fraternal circles, Clarence Swift was a member of practically all
of the Masonic bodies, being a member of Corinthian Lodge No. 9, F. & A.M.;
Washington Chapter, R.A.M.; Marysville Commandery No. 7, K.T.; and Marysville
Chapter No. 55, O.E.S. He was also a member of the Marysville Lodge of Elks and
Court Pride No. 34, Foresters of America.
Since his death, Mrs. Swift continues to reside in Marysville, looking after the
interests left by her husband and seeing to the education of her three children.
She is a member of the Methodist Church and the Order of the Eastern Star.
History of Yuba and Sutter Counties, Historic Record Company, Los Angeles, 1924
p 1057